1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an integrated circuit (IC) socket assembly for electrically connecting an electronic package such as an IC with a circuit substrate such as a burn-in board, and more particularly to a heat sink used in an IC socket assembly for assisting in dissipating heat from the IC socket assembly, thereby protect an IC of the IC socket assembly and associated components from instability and damage.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Electronic packages, such as integrated circuits (ICs), are miniaturized electronic devices in which a number of active and passive circuit elements are located on or within a continuous body of material to perform the function of a complete circuit. To ensure reliability in use, the ICs require prior burning in to test their durability. The ICs are operated at high temperature for an extended period of time to accelerate potential failure points. This helps eliminate early product failures once the ICs are sold and/or assembled onto electronic end products. An IC socket is used to receive an IC therein, and to electrically connect the IC with a burn-in board for operation of the IC at high temperature. At the same time, a heat sink is attached onto a top surface of the IC. By removing heat from the IC, the heat sink protects the IC and associated components from instability and damage. A pertinent example of the IC socket assembly is disclosed in a co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/630,591 filed on Jul. 29, 2003, assigned to the same assignee as that of the present invention.
Referring to FIG. 8, there is shown an exploded view of the IC socket assembly 9 with a heat sink 96. The IC socket assembly 9 comprises an IC socket 91 mounted on a burn-in board 92, an IC 913 attached in the IC socket 91, a supporting body 94, an actuation member 95, a heat sink 96, a securing member 97 and a supporting plate 98.
Also referring to FIG. 9, the supporting member 94 comprises a frame 940 and four columns 941 for supporting the frame 940. The frame 940 defines a rectangular window 942 in a middle portion thereof, and a pair of parallel channels 943 at opposite lateral sides of the frame 940 respectively next to the window 942. Four receiving holes 944 are defined in four corners of the frame 940 respectively, the receiving holes 944 corresponding to four bores 920 defined in the burn-in board 92. A passage 945 is defined in a portion between each channel 943 and the window 942, the passage 945 communicating with the window 942 and corresponding channel 943. Each column 941 defines a passageway 946 in a center thereof. The supporting plate 98 is generally rectangular configuration and defines four screw holes (not labeled), the screw holes corresponding to the bores 920 of the burn-in board 92. Four slotted screws 947 are inserted through the receiving holes 944 of the frame 940, the passageways 946 of the columns 941 and the bores 920 of the burn-in board 92, and turned to tightly engage in the screw holes of the supporting plate 98 respectively by a screwdriver (not shown), which increases the complexity of the operation, thereby tightly assembled the supporting member 94 and the supporting plate 98 onto the burn-in board 92. The supporting plate 98 can reinforce the burn-in board 92 to prevent the burn-in board 92 from being broken, but it increases the cost of the application.
The actuation member 95 comprises a pair of driving levers 951 and an operating lever 952 interconnecting ends of the driving levers 951. Each driving lever 951 forms a disk 953 on an end thereof. A screw hole 954 is defined in the disk 953, departing away a center of the disk 953. The disks 953 are accommodated in the channels 943 of the frame 940. Two screws 955 plug through the passages 945 of the frame 940 and engaged in the screw holes 954 of the disk 953, thereby securing the actuation member 95 to the frame 940. When being rotated from a first position to a second position, the actuation member 95 provides a desired force for the IC socket 91. When being rotated from the second position to the first position, the actuation member 95 attaches on the IC socket 91 freely. The IC 913 is electrically connected with the burn-in board 92 to operate the IC 913 at high temperature. However, in use, the actuation member 95 is liable to rotate with respect to the screws 955, which can loose the actuation member 95. Additionally, the friction between the screws 955 and the frame 940 increases difficulty of rotating the actuation member 95.
The heat sink 96 comprises a plurality of fins 960 extending upwardly, and a connection portion 961 formed in a center of the plurality of fins 960. The connection portion 961 defines four aligned blind hole (not labeled). The securing member 97 is generally “I”-shaped, and defined four blind holes (not shown) in a center thereof, corresponding to the blind holes of the connection portion 961. Four coil springs 970 are respectively received in the blind holes of the securing member 97 and the blind holes of the heat sink 96. The securing member 97 is assembled onto the frame 940 of the supporting member 94. Thus, the heat sink 96 is attached on a top surface of the IC 913 of the IC socket 91. When the IC 913 is electrically connected with the burn-in board 92 to operate the IC at high temperature, the heat sink 96 for dissipating heat from the IC 913 to protect it from instability and damage. However, in use, the heat sink can not quickly dissipate heat from the IC at the high temperature, which is liable to damage the IC 913.
In view of the above, a new IC socket assembly that overcomes the above-mentioned disadvantages is desired.